Kuwait's government is seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages from Sheikh Ahmad Fahad al-Sabah, one of the most powerful men in sport, over the Gulf state's isolation in international sport. The sheikh, a member of the FIFA executive committee, a top International Olympic Committee member and head of Asia's Olympic body, is one of a number of Kuwaiti officials targeted in a lawsuit filed Tuesday.
The suit accuses Sheikh Ahmad, who also faces a separate six-month jail term, his brother Sheikh Talal Fahad Al-Sabah and 13 other officials of deliberately causing the suspension of Kuwait from international sport. FIFA and the IOC suspended Kuwait in October over laws that allow government interference in sports. Sixteen other international federations have also blacklisted Kuwait, which risks not taking part in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August. The government is demanding temporary damages of $16,500, which if granted by a court will allow authorities to seek greater damages of $1.3 billion, according to Al-Rai newspaper.
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